So my desktop (also) ate it...

[Cortexian]

Right before my laptop decided that it's AC jack wasn't useful my PC turned off while I was sleeping one night. I went to turn it on in the morning and all the lights/fans flicker like a loose light bulb as it tried to start, I don't have the extra hardware to diagnose it myself atm so I took it in to Memory Express and I'm waiting to hear back. I'm assuming it's either the PSU or the Motherboard and I'm hoping it's the PSU (cheaper/easier to replace). However my Motherboard has been acting wonky lately so it's probably that, and I'm hoping it didn't decide to take the rest of my PC with it (memory, processor, ect...).

Anyhow, I've been planning for a worst case scenario and assuming that my PC is just GONE except for my hard drives/RAID card. Here's the build I'm thinking of going with if I have to do a brand spanking new PC:

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Intel Core™ i7 Processor 940 2.93GHz w/ 8MB Cache - $734.99
Thermalright LGA1366 Bolt-Thru Board Mounting Kit - $14.99
eVGA X58 SLI Classified - $499.99
OCZ 6GB PC3-12800 Platinum Edition DDR3 (3 x 2GB) - $124.99 x 2 = $249.98
eVGA e-GeForce GTX 285 1GB - $429.99 x 2 = $859.98

Subtotal - $1804.95
Total - $1895.20

w/12GB RAM - $1929.94
Total - $2026.44

w/2 x GTX 285 - $2234.94
Total - $2346.69

w/12GB RAM and 2 x GTX 285 - $2359.92
Total - $2477.92
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Obviously if only my Motherboard/Processor is dead (old memory is useless at that point as well since it's DDR2) I'll just replace those components with the ones listed above. It seems like a decent build to me, and my only concern that I've got questions about is the memory, is the OCZ stuff I've chosen decent?

[Bhamid]

It's easily decent enough to keep up with the rest of the parts, what case are you using?

[=sw=warlord]

I use OCZ myself for my pc and i've never had issues.
Infact ive got 4 sticks of RAM 2 of them value brands and 2 sticks OCZ and the OCZ have performed alot better than the value packs in both speed and temps, i was playing crysis earlier shut pc down and the head spreaders were cool enough to remove them from the motherboard by hand.

[jcap]

Why the need for 12 GB of RAM? Using 4 is a push and 8 is extreme. 6 seems like good middle ground; 12 is waste.

And the need for two graphics cards? They'll be outdated soon enough. Even if you put them in SLI, it would be better with the next best card when it comes out rather than two old in SLI. You're better off getting only one and then getting another new one when it is released. And seriously, what games are you playing which will even need to take full advantage of that card...aside from Crysis (which is shit).

And then you don't need a 3x SLI motherboard... (I'd say 2x is good enough).

It's a beautiful system, though. I just don't see any need for all the extra hardware. By the time you'll actually need it, the price will probably come down by 50% anyway. (And I thought you were worried about paying for your server.)


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Also, to diagnose it, you should have just bought a new PSU. You could have tested it, and then if it worked, you throw it in your existing system. If it doesn't, then you keep it for your new system. And you wouldn't have to pay someone to check it for you. Also, make sure the USB ports on the motherboard are fine.

[Reaper Man]

I'd love 12GB of RAM. I constantly get out of memory errors when I'm doing my photo editing, high resolution images are a bitch to work with when you're working on several of them at once

When I build my new desktop, I'll probably go for 6GB.

[=sw=warlord]

Jcap ever considered maybe he wants do 3d rendering and dosnt want to wait a entire day to render one frame for a animation?

[jcap]

Well he never said what he was using it for. I was making an average estimate. Why should I wrongly assume one extreme?

It would also depend on the operating system he plans on using. No use in having a 32 bit OS with all that RAM if it can't use more than 3 GB.

[Cortexian]

I didn't think anyone bothered running 32-bit on 64-bit capable systems anymore... I've personally had a way better time using 64-bit thatn 32-bit regardless of what I'm working with.

I'm a hardware enthusiast, but besides that point I also do quite a bit of rendering in After Effects/Premiere (not so much in Photoshop or 3DS Max). In all likely hood my PC will just require a new Motherboard or PSU, but if most of the system does need replacing I'll start with the individual components listed above. If I find that I need the extra 6GB of memory I can purchase it later, same with the extra graphics card. When are the high-end GeForce GTX 3 series coming out?

[In regards to the comment about my server]
I'm justifiying this expandature out of my budget right now because I usually rake in $100-$500/month using my PC for odd jobs. It's a source of income for me so I have to keep it in working condition, it's not just a hobby gaming PC like a lot of other PC's out there...

Here's hoping that my PC just needs a $250 Motherboard or PSU replacement though...

[Cortexian]

SO AT FIRST I WAS LIKE, WHY NOT WORK!?:


THEN I WAS ALL LIKE, WHATS THAT?:


HOLY FUCK ITS A SHITTING TRANSISTOR!!!!E1:


SHIT FELL OUTTA MY PSU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO I GOT A BIGGER ONE!! !!!:


MODULAR FOR LESS MESS MAN! LOOK AT THE LACK OF CABLES!


Corsair HX 1000W Modular Power Supply w/ Dual +12V

The guys at Memory Express refunded both the cost of the OCZ PSU (I have no fucking idea why, except that I bought it from them), and the inspection/service charge. I took my PC there and put down the $50 inspection/diagnostic fee, and I picked it up today and received my PC plus $250.... I was slightly confused as to why they were giving me money for my brokeass PSU since it was WAY out of warranty time frame, but I didn't complain and just bought the Corsair PSU with the proceeds. Heh.

[Warsaw]

That, sir, is a polarized capacitor, not a transistor.